Thor: Ragnarok

Thor: Ragnarok has to be commended purely for the effort it shows after a tediously average Thor: The Dark World. Director Taika Waititi clearly worked out what James Gunn did right with the Guardians Of The Galaxy films, and correlated that into Asgard and Thor’s world. He needed a change and this was the perfect way to do it.

Once Thor’s sister Hela (Cate Blanchett) has control of Asgard, Thor (Chris Hemsworth) finds himself stranded on a strange planet. Chosen as a fighter, he must show his skill against an all-powerful being. It is only when he enters the arena does he understand how something can be so strong, with his chances of saving Asgard slimmer than ever.

The film relies massively on its slapstick comedy but Chris Hemsworth is not a comic actor. His humour doesn’t often hit as hard as it should have done, though it does still work. The criticism only rears its head because the film is of such a high quality, any minor issues stand out vibrantly.

Cate Blanchett is monumentally powerful as Hela, The Goddess Of Death, and is a genuine threat throughout, something Marvel films often fail to squeeze into their blockbusters. However, she is still underused and could easily have had a greater impact on the picture as a whole, rather than just within her scenes. Hela is forgettable, almost a side story for much of the film, when she certainly didn’t need to be and is not the reaction Cate Blanchett’s performance warrants.

Thor: Ragnarok is genuinely a hilarious romp through the galaxy, showing just how fun Marvel films can be. There’s obvious inspiration from Guardians Of The Galaxy, but this is absolutely fine. Thor has far more life than he’s ever had before, and he takes himself far less seriously than he ever has before. There’s a solid villain and a marvelous performance from Jeff Goldblum as Grandmaster. There is just so much to love.